In practice, such components are frequently used as microphone elements, as part of hearing devices or mobile communication systems, for example. In this instance, the diaphragm acts as a sound sensor. In the case of microphones that operate in a capacitive manner, the counter-element is designed as a counter-electrode for the diaphragm that likewise acts as an electrode. The through holes in the counter-element enable a pressure equalization to the back volume.
A component of the type mentioned at the outset is discussed in the German patent application 10 2005 042664.6. The layer construction of this component includes a diaphragm that was produced by surface-micromechanical processing. It is elevated above the remaining chip area and spans a hollow space whose floor is formed by a counter-element. The backside of the counter-element was exposed by backside processing of the layer construction. In addition to this, the counter-element has through holes so that the pressure equalization takes place in this instance via the backside of the component.
Many applications for components of the type discussed here require a high level of miniaturization. This may be achieved on the one hand by downsizing the micromechanical structure elements, whereby the electroacoustic performance should be maintained or even improved, and on the other hand by integrating the evaluation electronics on the same chip. However, both measures are compatible with a backside processing of the layer construction only to a limited extent, as described in the related art.